Metal-lined portable wooden tank



March 25, 1947.

METAL-LINED PORTABLE WOODEN TANK Filed April 26, 1943 R. E. GILMORE2,417,979

2 Sheeis-Sheeq 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vf/vro/r "/Foxf Gun/0m: 5/

Xfqmvn R. E. GILMORE METAL-LINED PORTABLE WOODEN TANK Filed April 26,1945 IL 4:. 4:1. 'BL

March 25, 1947.

wmNk

w \L w w.

Patented Mar. 25, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Roy E. Gilmore,Portland, Oreg.

Application April 26, 1943, Serial No. 484,593

This invention relates generally to the transportation and storage ofliquids, and particularly to a portable tank,

The main object of this invention is to provide a means for easily andquickly converting flat cars and gondolas into tank cars.

The second object is to construct a portable tank for water, rail ortruck transportation requiring only light gage, inexpensive andrelatively obtainable material in the construction thereof.

The third object is to construct a tank of the class described in whichthe required materials are commonly available near oil producing andshipping centers.

The fourth object is to construct a tank of light gage materialsin amanner to withstand. the torsional strains to which such units arecommonly subjected, without impairing the strength of those materials.-

The fifth object is to utilize a highly eiilcient form of timberconstruction in the formation of a cradle for supporting a relativelyflexible lightweight metal container.

I accomplish these and other objects in the manner set forth in thefollowing specification, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a representative form of the device.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a modified form of the device,showing a plurality of containers in a single holder or cradle.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary bottom view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through a modified form of the device,showing the use of a corrugated tank without the wood covering on itsupper half.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Before entering into an explanation of this invention, its purpose willbe better understood when it is remembered that the railroad yards andsidings of the nation, contain large numbers of idle fiat and gondolacars normally used during coal shipping seasons, but otherwise standingcomparatively useless, deteriorating in the weather and occupyingvaluable space on trackage.

It is also'a well known fact that the regretable 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-15)shortage of fuel oil and its derivatives is due largely to a lack oftransportation and storage facilities. It is therefore my outstandingobject to utilize idle rolling stock for the purpose of transporting aswell as storing oil and other liquids without drawing severely upon thenations supply of materials otherwise needed in the war effort.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5,6 and '7, the deck IU of an ordinary flat car or of a gondola. Myportable tank consists primarily of a light weight shell preferably,although not necessarily of corrugated material. The shell is ofcylindrical form and having the flat ends ii. The usual discharge valvel3 and man hole M are shown. Baiiles or any other means for preventingundue movement of the liquids within the tank may be utilized withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention.

The shell II is supported in a cylindrical casing l5 whose lowermostportion rests in the horizontal ties l6, having the upright members l1secured to the ends between the side planking l8 and bolts l9.

The members l6, l1, and I8 are curved to conform to the cylindricalsurface 20 of the casing I5. The tics l6 rest upon the longitudinalskids 2| and are secured thereto by means of the bolts 22. Bands 23 areplaced around the top side of the casing |5 and secured at their lowerends to the skids 2| by means of the bolts 24.. Clamp bolts 25 unite theupper ends of the members 23.

At each end of the casing I5 is placed a head 26 which is illustrated asbeing square and its underside rests upon the skids 2|. Each head 26 hasa circular portion 21 which extends into its end of the casing l5thereby insuring the casing l5 against movement with relation to thehead 26. Cross braces 28 are placed on the outside of each head 26.Longitudinal stay rods 29 are placed along the lower corners of the unitand the diagonal truss rods 30 connect each upper corner 3| to thetransverse bar 32 which is secured to the skids 2| by means of the bolts33. Eye bolts 34 are placed at each end of each skid 2| to facilitatethe handling of the unit. Cross members 35 are placed between the skids2| for stiffening purposes.

Referring now to the form of the device shown in Fig. 4, it will be seento differ from the first described form of the device only in the makingof the tank member in the form of sections 36 which are separated fromeach other by the soft fibrous packing 31 as well as from the casing 38by means of the packing 39.

The chief advantage of this construction lie in the elimination oftorsional stresses from the shell as would otherwise be occasioned bythe normal twisting and swerving of the car when negotiating curves andpassing over banked tracks at high rates of speed. In this form of thedevice, the sections may be separately filled and discharged, or theymay be flexibly connected to suit the particular requirement.

When this form of tank is employed, it is de sirable to crown the heads40 slightly to better adapt the units to the suggested misalinement.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 8, the shell 4| is of corrugatedmaterial and only its lower half is supported by the wooden casing 42;the cradle members |6, l1 and I8 being the same as in the firstdescribed form of the device.

In this form of construction, the stay rods 43 pass around the top sideof the shell 4| and the lower ends 44 and 45 are secured to the skids2|. The turn buckle 46 may be located on the side or the top as is mostconvenient for a given installation. It will be noted that in this formof the device, the stays 45 pass through the casing 42 in order thatthey may hold the shell 4| to the best advantage.

The details of construction may, of course, be varied indefinitely. Itis therefore not my intention to be limited to the precise form ofinvention illustrated and described therein, but I do intend to coverall such forms and modifications as fall fairly within the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A tank of the class described consisting of a horizontal cylindricalshell of light gage metal, a wooden casing surrounding the cylindricalportion of said shell, cradles disposed along the length of said casingadapted to maintain the lower portion thereof in a semi-cylindricalform, a head disposed across each end of said casing extending partiallyinto said casing and contacting the end thereof, skids for supportingsaid shell and heads and truss rods between said heads and intermediateportions of said skids.

2. A supporting structure for light gage fluid containers, consisting ofa horizontal cylindrical casing of wooden planking, a stepped head ateach end of said casing, a portion of each of said stepped headsextending into said casing and the remainder of said stepped headsbearing against the ends of the planking, cradles for supporting thelower portion of said casing between said heads, skids for supportingsaid cradles and heads and truss rods extending from intermediateportions of said skids to the upper portions of said heads whereby aload imposed on the middle of said skids will tend to place said casingin compression.

ROY E. GILMORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,166,134 Fitch July 18, 19391,518,471 Weaver Dec. 9, 1924 1,755,176 Feldmeier Apr. 22, 19301,341,215 Kramer May 25, 1920 2,089,019 Edwards Aug. 3, 1937 1,096,497Epstein May 12, 1914 1,123,366 Piaggio 1. Jan. 5, 1915 58,746 AllisonOct. 16, 1866 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 850,828 France Sept.18, 1939

